The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories - Classic Sci-Fi Short Stories by Isaac Asimov - Perfect for Sci-Fi Fans & Book Clubs

Optimism for mankind in general, and an astonishing hope for technology. Isacc Azimov had an incredible passion for just that. I had read the Bicentennial Man when I was a child, and fell in love with his ideas. Recently, my middle school aged son chose this story for an 8th grade book report. We couldn't find it in the school library or our local bookstore, so we went to the next most obvious place for it: Amazon.This seller was like something straight out of Harry Potter. Talk about a magical selection at a VERY GOOD PRICE! They had just what we were looking for, and when the book arrived, it was the same edition from my own childhood.Here's the reason for this review: Having it back, I read it as an adult, but had the wisdom to read why Mr. Azimov wrote this story. It gave me an entirely new insight into what he was trying to do with this piece. This is essentially the story of humanity and freedom covering a period of 200 years (written to coincide with the 1976 Bicentennial of anniversary of the United States of America). He paralleled the history of the United States from our original reason for being to the creativity and ingenuity of colonial Americans, to becoming, and the essence of what it is to be a slave as a freethinking person, and to seek freedom, civil rights, and living out life to fulfill the American Dream.... The dream of all free people, and the sanctity of life overall. He did this all in one character: Andrew Martin. First, a service robot, then a being, then a being who becomes sentient, finally a person with inalienable rights and freedoms.Andrew Martin was on a mission to establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.If you read Bicentennial Man as a child, and you are now an adult, it's a one evening read, but a lifetime of joy to revisit Mr. Azimov in his Bicentennial Tale. If you have a child who is studying the history of the United States, or World History, or is simply looking for a memorable story, pick this one up for them. Mr. Azimov was a science fiction writer. He didn't actually include historical events so much as he captured the essence of what this country went through to get where we are.